July 21, 2010 9:54 AM

White Baby Shocks Black Parents: Medically Possible?

By
Neil Katz
Topics
News
Black parents say they gave birth to white baby.

Ben and Angela Ihegboro and their beautiful new baby girl Nmachi. (The Sun)

(CBS) How did Ben and Angela Ihegboro, a black Nigerian couple living in London, give birth to a white daughter?

The answer may not be so black and white, experts say.

According to the BBC, there are three potential reasons for the baby Nmachi's unexpected appearance: "dormant white genes which entered both of her parents' families long ago, a genetic mutation unique to her, or albinism."

The first reports on the family's strange case had ruled out albinism, but the BBC says Nmachi's doctors have not ruled it out.

Albinism, a condition whereby a person has little or no color in their skin, hair and eyes, can remain dormant in genes for many generations. Just because the couple's living relatives aren't afflicted by the disease, that doesn't mean they aren't carriers. It is not uncommon in Nigeria, according to the BBC.

But it's not the only possible explanation.

Doctors also say Nmachi's parents may harbor long dormant Caucasian DNA from a long forgotten interracial coupling, according to the BBC.  A third possibility is perhaps the most tantalizing but also the scariest. Nmachi may have a unique genetic mutation that doctors have not seen before.

More at the BBC and the Sun








Add a Comment See all 127 Comments
by kipdr May 28, 2011 11:58 PM EDT
"Doctors also say Nmachi's parents may harbor long dormant Caucasian DNA..."

How ignorant and racist is that statement? It proves that the media harbors white supremacist beliefs.

How dare the BBC imply that the appearance of a Black couple's child has something to do with some imaginary long lost Caucasian ancestor's RECESSIVE genes? Are you journalists or fiction writers?

This boils down to the power of black people to produce offspring of ANY skin color, hair texture, eye color, etc, as they have proven over and over again. I should know as my own mother has green eyes and very light skin, compared to her parents who have dark brown eyes and very dark skin.

This happens more often than one thinks and has everything to do with the power of black people to produce very diverse offspring!

It's just like whitey to lay claim to that which does not belong to him!
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by layonnah10 September 15, 2010 8:35 PM EDT
This just proves what we've always known..........WHITE FOLK CAME FROM BLACK FOLK !!! Stephen Wells said all people came from one black man found in Africa. Which leads me to believe more in Darwin's theory of Natural Selection. That's y they kidnaped all those aboringinal kids in Australia more than 50 years ago ,'cause they show the change from black to white. History ...... my people .... just history.
Reply to this comment
by whitegold03 August 10, 2010 9:24 PM EDT
I think that another possibility is that the couple underwent infertility treatment and the clinic who inseminated them, must have put in the wrong sperm and egg. Let's face it, they just don't wanna get in trouble. And yeah, how come black couples have a white baby, and not white couples having a black baby??!!
Reply to this comment
by revboros August 2, 2010 2:53 AM EDT
I cannot believe that this is a country I once thought had a better attitude to race than many others. This story has been the catalyst for frementing all the vile soup which is in many souls. People talking about the fate of the child... "doomed" one writer comments,"soon be on welfare" comments another...... No,No, No! She was born in Britain, not America. Her father is employed, not on benefits. Africans prize education very highly so this child will be sent to university, as will her siblings, if she has the intellect. Britain, for all it's faults will be pleased to have her in it's mids, British scientist will want to keep an eye on her, the right thinking members of her church will love her, she will be taken care of. If she does suffer it will be because of all the attention given her, some such as on this page from creatures poising as human beings. Creatures without the intellect to even take in all the information before spewing their vile bile.
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by CanadianSample July 26, 2010 2:41 AM EDT
It is rather clear that the child looks white. I read many years ago that some of the black people in West Africa have some Caucasian ancestry. How much we don't know. Nigeria was an English colony, it has had a large Syrian and Lebanese population til this day. It is possible a white person had an interracial coupling with a Nigerian woman at some point for this to happen. I don't doubt there being some white genes somewhere, but this is a mutation, an anomaly. I don't think it's possible without some European ancestry or some North African light skinned background somewhere. The Europeans did interact with people from West Africa.
Reply to this comment
by Mz_Meeka July 25, 2010 5:25 PM EDT
Wow,it amazes me at what people say when they do not have the intellectual ability to comprehend. Race is an issue because we make it an issue. The fact of the matter is that God can do whatever he sees fit. Granted, Nigerians have the negative stigma of being con artist. Even my Nigerian sorority will attest to that but not everyone is a scam artist. If you don't believe that they did extensive testing before they let these parents speak than you are foolish. This is not the 1st time such a thing like this happened nor will it be the last. Let's keep in mind that mankind came from to single people...Adam & Eve and no one knows what their color was. Education of oneself is important.
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by adefolake July 23, 2010 3:12 PM EDT
As someone who majored in Biology in college, took genetics courses, worked in a genetics lab, researched in genetics, and graduated from medical school in the United States, I would like to say that this occurrence is NOT impossible. It so happens that this incident was publicized and people who are NOT exposed or educated have NEVER seen anything like this before.

It is a shame that people are questioning the woman's fidelity and/or the hospital's integrity. I'm sure the nurses & the doctors who delivered the baby saw that it was white. I don't think that the baby was switched right before it exited the woman's womb (uterus).

Some people who are race purists are AFRAID to think or believe that they might possibley have some "black" gene in them and are making racist comments here. No matter how loud they scream, curse, or insult, that WILL NOT change their genetics.

It is a shame that people are angry and outraged by this story, rather than standing in awe of the human genome. Education is the cure for ignorance. Invest in yourself!
Reply to this comment
by mrkmzo July 23, 2010 2:17 PM EDT
Obviously a scam. Nigerians are known for scams, this baby is not theirs. Not by a long shot.
Reply to this comment
by adefolake July 23, 2010 2:39 PM EDT
I majored in Biology in college and took genetics, worked in genetics labs, and researched in genetics. I am also a medical doctor. Unless you have these credentials, you could not possibly see how this could be medically possible. I assume that you might be someone who is not comfortable with other races and would not like to consider the fact that you, yourself, might have some other race in your genes. Your fear has called you out!

The mere fact that you made a generalized comment about all Nigerians (>100 million people) speaks loudly of your ignorance!
by layonnah10 September 15, 2010 8:58 PM EDT
U just ignorant ....White folk came from black folk OK....history, just history. The truth will make u free.
by hihellohello July 23, 2010 2:06 PM EDT
You Americans are so racist, first the doctors in the hospital have stated that the baby isn't albino, or mixed race they had done a DNA on both parents and it's their biological child . The child was conceived naturally by this couple. Both parents are pure Africans with no European ancestors. Charles Darwin believe all modern humans came from Africa.
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by hihellohello July 23, 2010 12:48 PM EDT
Firstly how racist some of your comments, this is their child. Both parents have done a DNA, after the story was publish and the doctors have rule out that the baby is mix race or albion. The baby was conceived naturally, so this blonde blue eye baby is they biology child. Charles Darwin, said all people came from Africa here is a pure African Couple giving born to a blue eye blonde baby. We know so little about race if race even exist. I believe that this baby was changed not by DNA but by the Environment, according to Charles Darwin, every human on the earth came from Africa and it's the environment that changed humans into different colours. This isn't the first time this have happen in UK (England) either about 6 year old a next pure African couple give birth to a Redheaded child with white skin they also had DNA test that prove that the baby boy was they child and once again the child was conceived naturally. Both Babies do have African features I seen this baby in the Sun newspaper and it's got African Features just like the little boy who got African Features with white skin and redhair and green eyes.
Reply to this comment
by yclarke July 27, 2010 1:36 PM EDT
I read another article that said the father's mother has blue eyes. Let's all face it I don't think there is no true black race or white race with the slavery we had and still have.
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